KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lauren Rider, who spent eight years on Knoxville City Council, said Monday she will run for mayor in 2027, adding another name to the race to follow Mayor Indya Kincannon, who cannot seek another term.
Rider won the 4th District council seat in 2017 and a second term in 2021. Her district took in north and northeast city neighborhoods such as 4th and Gill and Alice Bell. Matthew DeBardelaben took over the seat in 2025.
On council she pushed changes to land-use rules meant to open up more affordable housing, supported more shelter space and services for people experiencing homelessness, and backed tougher audit procedures for city government. Outside politics, Pellissippi State Community College employed her as a librarian and teacher.
In her announcement, Rider said rapid growth has brought higher housing costs and heavier traffic, and she named neighborhood safety, economic opportunity, housing and shelter, and more public input into city decisions as the focus of her campaign. Her campaign site also mentions more routes to owning a home, extending the greenway network and support for public transit.
She enters a field that already includes labor leader Beau Hawk, the Democratic nominee for Knox County mayor this year, sitting council member Amelia Parker and Jeff Talman, who works as a mortgage banker.
Her campaign manager is Gage Schmid, who ran Hawk’s close race for county mayor, and the campaign’s money will be handled by Katherine Bike, who chairs the Knox County School Board.
Knoxville voters choose their next mayor on Election Day, Nov. 2, 2027.
Section: More Knoxville TN politics news
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